Two hurt as serious crash shuts down Route 1 in York

YORK, Maine — At least two people were transported to local hospitals after a serious motor-vehicle accident on Route 1 that shut down all four lanes of traffic for more than an hour.

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By Susan Morse

seacoastonline.com

By Susan Morse

Posted Jul. 31, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Updated Jul 31, 2013 at 5:55 PM

By Susan Morse

Posted Jul. 31, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Updated Jul 31, 2013 at 5:55 PM

» Social News

YORK, Maine — Two local people were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after a serious car crash on Route 1 that shut down all four lanes of traffic for more than an hour.

The accident occurred at 4:23 p.m., when a silver Volvo rear-ended a black Mercury Mountaineer sport utility vehicle that was stopped attempting to make a left-hand turn from the northbound lane into the parking lot of The Barn Seafood & Grill and Lobster in the Rough, police said.

Police Sgt. Steven Spofford said in a prepared statement that the driver of the Volvo, identified as Brian Decato, 33, of York, was trapped in the car and firefighters used extrication tools to remove him. Decato was brought to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for treatment, he said.

Police identified the driver of the Mountaineer as Gina-Marie Ambrosino, 44, of York. She was brought to York Hospital with injuries sustained in the crash, Spofford said.

The airbag in the Volvo had deployed and the steering wheel was jammed almost into the driver's seat. The SUV did not appear to be as heavily damaged, but both cars were towed from the scene at about 5:30 p.m.

Route 1 was closed to traffic from Old Post Road north for more than an hour as emergency workers cleared the scene. Cars appeared to be routed through York Beach, down streets such as Ridge and Cape Neddick roads.

Route 1 was reopened to traffic at about 5:40 p.m.

Police said the department's accident reconstruction team was called in to investigate the crash.

Portsmouth Herald archives contain reports of multiple car accidents in that heavily traveled area of Route 1. Police Sgt. Gary Finley said he did not believe the area was particularly dangerous, and that accidents occur due to driver inattention.

“I don't think we have any more accidents there than we have anywhere else,” he said. “When people are turning and people aren't paying attention, we have accidents.”